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Couplers

I see in the thread on "Best H0 system for newcomer?" that the issue of couplers has comeup.

For my Polish armoured train project, I have a number of Lilliput and Dapol wagons, but I also will be using some North American style open gondola cars with double trucks as the basis frame to be built up upon for the artillery wagons

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The only problem is that the gondola cars I will be buying from my local shop and the Model Power 2-6-0 loco I just received (for the engine) have very different sorts of couplers from the European style Lilliput and Dapol couplers.

Dapol does sell couplers, and I should have ordered some from them when I got the spoked wheels and other stuff from them, but barring ordering a bunch of stuff from them I don't really need, is there any quick way to deal with the different couplers?

This is a model project that could be run on an HO track, but it will largely be used for wargame and display purposes. I suppose I could just thread the cars together... though that sounds gross from a rivit counter's (I am one) perspective....

Reply to
Tim Marshall
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There are a number of UK suppliers of three-link couplings and screw-type couplings, which would fit your aims perfectly IMO. A little oversize, they look right. Post a request for help on uk.rec.models.rail for further information.

HTH

Reply to
Wolf

Polish railways used sprung side buffers (as on the Liliput wagons) which provided sprung tension between each item of rolling stock and sprung hooks through the center of each bufferbeam which were linked by a screw adjustable link. The buffers usually were equalized as well as sprung for traversing curves. With that system the entire train moved as one unit and damage to consignments was minimized.

British railways used a similar system but goods wagons used a 3 link chain so that the wagons were loose coupled. Longer trains could be started by small locomotives but consignment damage from jolting was prevalent.

US railways used only the center coupler, sprung both in tension and compression, but the slack between couplers was considerable.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Greg Procter

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